Congress MP Criticizes Railway Allocations in Union Budget

Congress MP K Suresh criticized the Railway Ministry provisions in the Union Budget as discriminatory towards states that rejected the BJP in elections. He accused the government of neglecting areas where BJP faced losses, while BJP member Sudhir Gupta defended the allocations, citing improvements under PM Modi's leadership.

Congress MP K Suresh on Tuesday criticized the Railway Ministry’s provisions in the Union Budget, describing it as a 'classic case of divide and rule' where states that rejected the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections were neglected.

Initiating the debate on the Demands for Grants for the ministry in the Lok Sabha, Suresh argued that previous Congress governments enhanced national connectivity, benefiting all states with a growing railway network. He claimed the budget favors BJP-allied states and ignored others like Kerala.

BJP member Sudhir Gupta countered, stating that railway development, stalled for decades, has progressed significantly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. TMC's Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar pointed to recent train accidents, suggesting the Railways is more focused on political stability than passenger safety. The debate continues, with a substantial Rs 2,62,200 crore allocated for Railways in the 2024-25 budget.